Maybell fuller



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. PULLER.- 7 FRUIT 0R VEGETABLE STBAMBR. No. 517,217. Patented Mar. 2'7, 1894.'

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WITNESSES INVENTOR ATToR'NFi FRUIT 0R VEGETABLE STEAMER.

No. 517,217. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

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PATENT OFFICE.

MAYBELL FULLER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RIOHARD POLLARD, OF SAME PLACE.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE STEAMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,217, dated March 2'7, 1894.

Application filed November 24,1893. Serial No. 491,837- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAYBELL FULLER, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New. York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit or Vegetable Sterilizers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists in a novel organization of an apparatus designed to receive vegetables or fruit in cans and inclose the same in such a manner as to heat the vegetables or fruit to the necessary temperature to effectually sterilize the same by steam which is as dry as possible and completely envelops the cans so as to heat them uniformly over their entire surfaces.

The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings in which-- Figure 1 is aside elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same taken through its longest diameter. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal transverse section on line X-X in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached side view of the cam-rack, and Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

arepresents the boiler which is pref erably of oval form with a fiat bottom to allow it to be set directly upon a stove or range by which it is to be heated. The top of this boiler is perforated and dished or slanted from the outer edges toward the center. From said top rise the steam-pipes b-b--= b which communicate with the interior of the boiler and extend through the bottom of the water-tank -c-, and support the same a short distance above the boiler -a--. Said tank is open at the top to permit water to be introduced therein. The bottom of the tank is firmly perforated for the gradual escape of the water to the perforated dished top of the boiler. The pipes -bb are soldered or otherwise firmly secured to the boiler and superposed chamber to support the latter.

Upon the chamber ===cis mounted removably the steaming chamber elwith a small space between them to allow water to be introduced in said chamber -cas aforesaid.

From the bottom of the chamber d depend pipes d'cl'd'- which are fastened thereto and flush with the inner side of said bottom and have their lower ends receiving in them the upper ends of the pipes bh b and thus conduct steam from the boiler a into the steaming chamber -d in which are deposited the cans -eeecontaining the fruit or vegetables to be sterilized. The pipes d are fitted telescopically over the pipes b to allow the chamber -d to be raised or lowered to the desired distance from the tank c or to be removed from the lower part of the apparatus when desired.

To guard against the liability of placing the cans over the upper ends of the pipes -d'-- and the consequent choking of said pipes, I place in the chamber -d-, a rack -fconsisting of a horizontal plate provided with legs -f-fby which it is supported upon the bottom of the chamber and having holes for the reception of the cans as indicated by dotted lines in the drawings. Said rack is removable from the chamber to allow racks with dilferent sized holes for difierent sized cans to be used.

g represents aperforated cover placed upon the chamber dto detain the steam in said chamber sufficiently to efiectually envelop the cans in the steam.

Over the chamber d-=- is placed a steam tight cover or hood =-h the vertical walls of which closely embrace the said chamber to form a tight double wall around the same and thus retain more effectually the heat therein. Said cover rests upon a flange --ton the bottom of the chamber dand is thereby supported some distance above the top of the chamber and forms a steam-space 0 over said chamber.

The operation of the described apparatus is as follows: The boiler -=a is placed upon a hot stove or range to heat said boiler. The tank c being charged with water which passes slowly through the perforated bottom thereof and drops onto the perforated top of the boiler and thence enters said boiler, which is sufficiently heated to evaporate the water as fast as it enters. In the meantime the cans filled with fruit or vegetables are placed in the rack and the cover -g and -h applied to the chamber -d. The steam generated in the boiler ain the manner aforesaid is rendered very dry and rapidly ascends through the pipes b and d' into the chamber -d Where it is confined and caused to efiectually envelop the cans and heat the same to the required temperature. The Water of condensation returns through the pipes -b and dto the boiler a where it is again quickly evaporated and caused to ascend to the chamber d. The boiler is thus continually replenished and a continuous circulation of steam is produced. It will be observed that no Water is allowed to collect in the chamber -d in which the fruit or vegetables are treated, and the sterilizing thereof is effected solely by steam which is very dry and heats the cans efiectually and uniformly over their entire surfaces. The boiler a- I form preferably of copper, and the superposed chamber with the pipes and covers may be formed of tin or other suitable sheetmetal.

"What I claim as my invention is The combination of the boiler c having a perforated dished top, the Water-tank c provided with a perforated bottom, the pipes b-bfixed to said boiler and tank and rigidly secured to both, the steaming chamber d having aifixed to it the pipes cZ-d'- extending from the bottom of the chamber dand fitted telescopically and adj ustably over the pipes -bb, and the cover h closely embracing, the latter chamber substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 21st day of November,

MAYBELL FULLER. [L. s.] Witnesses:

JOHN J. LAASS, O. L. BENDIXON. 

